NRBQ Album-By-Album Thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by ceddy10165, Mar 7, 2011.

  1. jhw59

    jhw59 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rehoboth Beach DE.
    great thread and thanks. I saw Terry recently with his R & R band-super high energy!
     
  2. John DeAngelis

    John DeAngelis Senior Member

    Location:
    New York, NY
  3. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    I don't have, and cannot find, a good hi res actual size scan of the "Scraps Companion" CD for the next entry. Can someone please be so kind as to share or post them? Thanks!
     
  4. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    I think the Sundazed "Ludlow Garage 1970" releases are really fun and showcase the band's energy and diverse songbook. As both a massive Sun Ra and Q fan, "Interstellar" is gold to me. In my perfect world, "Ludlow Garage 1970" should have been the start of a series of live archival releases, like the Dead's "Dick's Picks." BTW, did the Dead and NRBQ ever play on the same bill together or cross paths musically?

    In researching these early releases I am surprised at how little press coverage they seemed to get. I've come across no interviews with the band pre 1975. Is that just a gap in the internet or was that the case back in the day?

    Can anyone who was a music fan in that era comment on NRBQ's visibility, coverage, radio play, or gigging profile back then?
     
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  5. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    NRBQ Scraps & The Scraps Companion 1972

    NRBQ Scraps & The Scraps Companion 1972

    Pressings:
    Scraps (1972 Kama Sutra LP KSBS 2045)
    Scraps (1972 Kama Sutra LP "Changes" Alternate Promo Cover)
    Scraps (1982 Rounder/Red Rooster Records 3055, 106)
    Scraps (2000 Rounder 613175) Remastered reissue with 3 bonus tracks)
    Scraps (2007 Sundazed LP 5184)
    Scraps (2009 Lost House, Japan)
    Scraps Companion (2000 Dreamsville 0041) 15 tracks from radio show from Memphis in 1972 and 6 Outakes from Scraps sessions.
    Scraps Companion (2002 Edisun 2)



    Background:

    NRBQ line up 2 (1970-72):

    http://badcatrecords.com/BadCat/NRBQ.htm

    Terry Adams: keyboards, vocals harmonica
    Al Anderson: vocals, guitar (replaced Steve Ferguson)
    Frank Gadler: vocals, tambourine
    Joey Spampinato (aka Jody St. Nicholas): vocals, bass
    Tom Staley: drums, percussion



    http://www.sundazed.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=877

    By the time keyboardist Terry Adams, vocalist Frank Gadler, bassist Joey Spampinato, drummer Tom Staley and fabulous new guitarist Al Anderson released Scraps, their wonderful second album in 1972, they had relocated from Florida to New Jersey—and, like their name says, they were actually a quintet for the only time in their career.



    Al Anderson Interview 1975 By Paul Bezanker

    http://www.oocities.org/qfan98/Alinterview.htm

    (P) Of the NRBQ recordings, what's the earliest on that you are playing on?

    (A) The beginning of the whole "Scraps" album we recorded in four days...two weeks after I joined the band, in our own house. That did pretty well. Probably all told, NRBQ sold a couple thousand albums.



    Mike Dow had this to say about the best sounding pressings in his opinion:

    http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=81498&highlight=nrbq

    "Scraps" - If you are going for the best sound, the CD (IMO) beats all of the vinyl pressings that I have. Rich, warm sound (mastered by Toby Mountain) and has some great notes from our own John DeAngelis!

    "Scraps Companion" - Edi-Sun ED 12. Highly recommended/mostly live from a '72 Memphis radio broadcast with 6 unreleased studio tracks. Great sound - mastered by Billy Shaw.



    NRBQ: Scraps
    Ed Freeman (Producer)

    Review by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

    http://www.allmusic.com/album/scraps-r14242

    For the uninitiated, NRBQ is an oddity. How does one, for instance, approach a band who sings a song like "Howard Johnson's Got His Ho-Jo Working?" The answer may be, "not very seriously," but then another problem reveals itself: the songs are so catchy. "Who Put the Garlic in the Glue?" and "Magnet" bounce along like an early-'70s version of Ben Folds Five. Together, pianist Terry Adams, bassist Joey Spampinato, guitarist Al Anderson, drummer Tom Staley, and vocalist Frank Gadler find a bigger sound than the sum of their parts. Scraps is filled with pop music that manages the duel feat of making the listener feel good while remaining intelligent. The songs, with a couple of exceptions, are only two to three minutes long; that equals out to 14 cuts from the original album, which was a lot of tracks in 1972. Three bonus tracks have been added and the entire album has been remastered. There is also a great deal of breadth in Spampinato and Adams' songwriting, from the rocking "Don't You Knock at My Door" to the instrumental "Tragic Magic" to the gentle "Only You." Spampinato, who had written very little on previous albums, wrote several gentle ballads, including "Boys in the City" and "It's Not So Hard." John DeAngelis' liner notes keep tabs on NRBQ's evolving lineup and provide good information on the context of the recording. Scraps' appeal sneaks up on the listener, reminding them that some music is just meant to be enjoyed.

    Title Composer Time
    1 Howard Johnson's Got His Ho-Jo Working Adams 3:20
    2 Magnet Adams, Spaminato 3:30
    3 Don't Knock at My Door Spampinato 2:59
    4 Tragic Magic Adams 1:52
    5 Only You Spampinato 2:46
    6 Who Put the Garlic in the Glue? Adams 2:01
    7 Get a Grip Adams, Ferguson 4:29
    8 Boys in the City Spaminato 2:29
    9 New Tune Adams 2:35
    10 Scraps Adams 4:06
    11 It's Not So Hard Spaminato 2:44
    12 Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive/Things Are Getting Better Adderley, Arlen, Mercer, Previn 3:15
    13 Do You Feel It Adams 2:51
    14 Ain't It All Right Adams, Ferguson 2:23
    15 Just Close Your Eyes and Be Mine Ruby Adams 3:18
    16 Hymn #9 Adams 1:18
    17 Trouble at the Henhouse Spampinato 2:15



    NRBQ: The Scraps Companion
    Eddie Kramer (Producer & Engineer)

    Review by Lindsay Planer

    http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-scraps-companion-r522887

    The Scraps Companion presents NRBQ at Ardent Recording Studios in Memphis, TN, on April 30, 1972. Before this release, the only way hardcore New Rhythm & Blues Quartet fans had of hearing this performance was via tapes made of the original WMC-FM radio broadcast. The sound on this release is flawless. There are also a half-dozen tracks from the earliest recording sessions for the 1972 album Scraps. This seminal incarnation of the band features the addition of former Wildweeds guitarist "Big Al" Anderson. Upon his arrival, the "Q" in NRBQ actually stood for quintet.

    NRBQ eagerly models their musical multiplicity throughout this set. Among the musical genres covered are the cool R&B sounds of Johnny Moore's Three Blazers on "Huggin' Bug." They also cut loose with a scrumptious version of Sonny Rollins' delicate "Valse Hot." Anderson's phenomenal songwriting is already in full bloom as heard on "Mare, Take Me Home." The heartfelt '50s doo wop track "Brothers" shows off the band's amazing vocal harmony chops -- demonstrating that the 'Q can truly conquer any style of popular music.

    The innocuous wit and candid charm of NRBQ runs rampant throughout their music. For example, the band improvises a version of the I Love Lucy theme to a heavy thumping disco beat -- not bad since disco would not be around for nearly four years. The half-dozen Scraps sessions which augment this disc should not be written off as filler. Adams leads the 'Q through Thelonious Monk's "Misterioso." These 70 seconds are arguably the highlight of the entire disc. Not only does Adams capture the mathematical and logical performance style, but he embodies the innocent and freewheeling spirit of Monk -- a feat few can claim.

    Title Composer Time
    1 Do You Feel It? Adams 2:58
    2 Magnet Adams, Spampinato 3:37
    3 Howard Jonhston's Got His Ho-Jo Workin' Adams 3:33
    4 Huggin' Bug Moore 2:39
    5 Mare, Take Me Home Anderson 3:15
    6 Don't Knock at My Door Spampinato 3:11
    7 Valse Hot Rollins 2:05
    8 Get a Grip Adams, Ferguson 5:11
    9 Sitting in the Park Stewart 3:08
    10 Take This Hurt Off Me Covay, Miller 2:47
    11 RC Cola and a Moon Pie Adams 2:57
    12 Time Amd Place Dixon 7:12
    13 I Love Lucy Adamson, Daniel 0:53
    14 Ain't It All Right Adams, Ferguson 4:08
    15 Brothers arranged by Spampinato, P.D.… 0:59 Composed by: arranged by Spampinato, P.D., Public Domain
    16 First Sounds NRBQ 2:04
    17 Misterioso Monk 1:14
    18 Get a Grip [Take One] Adams, Ferguson 4:41
    19 Boys in the City [Trio Version] Spaminato 0:56
    20 Boys in the City [Trio Version] Spaminato 2:25
    21 Blues Stay Away from Me Delmore, Delmore, Glover, Raney 2:50

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  6. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
  7. sethICE

    sethICE Forum Resident

    Location:
    NYC
    What about the Annuit Coeptis pressing (double album with Workshop), or will that be covered later? That was how I first heard the album in the late 70's (although I do also have all the pressings listed above), after having been introduced to the Q by hearing "Ain't No Free" and buying the Yankee Stadium album.
     
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  8. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    Good point, I missed that one. Please add the info for it if you have it. Thanks!
     
  9. dbeamer407

    dbeamer407 Forum Resident

    Their version of Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive is awesome. When my son was about 1.5 years old anytime he would hear the song he would immediately stop whatever he was doing and start doing a weird high-step dance. That's proof positive of how catchy their version is!

    This is the earliest NRBQ album I have, unfortunately my vinyl copy was pretty rough when I got so it doesn't have the wonderful sound mentioned in this thread.
     
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  10. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    agreed, Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive is downright awesome. Totally joyful, and makes me feel good every time I hear it.


    Scraps Addendum (Another pressing):

    Scraps & Workshop
    Label: Annuit Coeptis
    Catalog#: AC-1001-2
    Format: 2 x Vinyl, Album, Reissue
    Country: US
    Released: 1976

    I'll add come commentary about Scraps before hitting Al Anderson's 1972 Vanguard solo album which I forgot to do before Scraps. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts about Scraps, which is IMO NRBQ's first bona fide classic album.
     
  11. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    Scraps is, IMO, NRBQ's first bona fide classic album, which finds the band hitting the groove they would ride for the rest of their career. If you only had a few NRBQ records in your collection, this would need to be one of them.

    Al Anderson keeps a low profile on his first LP with the band, but Terry Adams's amazing and spirited keyboard work moves in front and center to fill the void left by Steve Ferguson's departure. Terry is one of the most unique keyboardists of the modern era and has a musical personality all his own. In fact, he might just well be THE best rock keyboardist -- combining rock's percussiveness, jazz's idiosyncrasy, stride's strong left hand, and pop's lyricism with a sense of joy and humor that is unbeatable. On Scraps, Terry also steps up his songwriting, which really defines the band's identity. No one else I can think of would use Howard Johnson's and Garlic in the Glue as subject matter for songs.

    Joey Spampinato hits his stride as a voice and writer in the band with the addition of his sweet, melodic, classic pop McCartneyisms, with such songs as Only You and Boys in the City. What would become his signature stand-up bass sound on an electric starts to take shape on this record as well. I love Terry's toy piano solo on Only You!

    Tom Staley's drum playing is totally solid, tasteful, supple, and understated -- total class. Very uncommon for a modern drummer. On Scraps you can hear the aesthetic that Tom Ardolino embraced and developed.

    The production and engineering is first rate. Clean and unobtrusive, but totally natural and ambient -- you can hear the space and what Steve Hoffman refers to as the "breath of life."

    This record is effervescent, jumping, propulsive, catchy, and fun. NRBQ stay away from negativity and brooding, always looking on the bright side. Even their boy/girl songs take a unique perspective, such as Magnet, which should be a universal pop songbook classic.

    Scraps is Frank Gadler's final album with NRBQ as a vocalist. The souful, full-throated tone he defined with the band is continued by Al Anderson after his departure, but Gadler also had a very unique quality that would not be replaced. I can't quite put my finger on what that quality is, but maybe it's the uninhibitedness I perceive in his voice.
     
  12. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    NRBQ: Scraps Companion Cover Scans (Thanks to Todd Remley!)

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  13. John DeAngelis

    John DeAngelis Senior Member

    Location:
    New York, NY
    Ed Freeman, who was a staff producer at Columbia circa 1970, did not produce "Scraps". He produced the song "Ain't It Alright", which was the last track that NRBQ recorded before they left Columbia. Since it was never released, the recording was purchased from Columbia and was used as the final track on "Scraps". So it's the one track that features original guitarist Steve Ferguson instead of Al Anderson. More trivia: Ferguson's interim replacement, Kenny Sheehan, plays rhythm guitar on several "Scraps" tracks.
     
  14. edenofflowers

    edenofflowers A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular!

    Location:
    UK
    Love Scraps, my favourite NRBQ album without a doubt! Don't have Scraps companion:cry:
    It's such a great sounding recording, really up-close and uncluttered and the performances are awesome, so much spirit. This is the first album that sounds like NRBQ to me, the parts are all there and working correctly.
    The songs are just great - a song like Hojo is so straightforward but the arrangement, the performances and the killer bridge take the tune to another level, and what a great guitar solo, so understated but it fits the bill to a tee. Awesome.

    My fave track is probably 'Get a Grip', it's so to the point and solid and the guitar solo is one of my favourite guitar solos by anyone ever, it's just so damn emotive. The whole performance is so tight and the drums sound fantastic, in it's way it's perfect.

    My other top tunes from Scraps are Boys in The City, New Tune, Magnet and It's Not So Hard, but the whole albums very enjoyable.

    Looking forward to the rest of this thread as my NRBQ collection is quite patchy so it'll be nice to get some info on the albums I haven't heard yet.
     
  15. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    Scraps Addendum:

    Scraps: Eddie Kramer (Engineer, Producer). Ed Freeman (Producer of Ain't It All Right only). Recorded at Columbia Studios, New York, New York in July 1970 and in Mount Vernon, New York in December 1971.

    NRBQ: Joey Spampinato (vocals, acoustic guitar, bass); Terry Adams (vocals, harmonica, piano, Clavinet); Frank Gadler (vocals); Al Anderson (acoustic & electric guitars); Tom Staley (drums).

    Additional personnel: Kenny Sheehan, Steve Ferguson (guitar); Donn Adams (trombone); Doug & Link Wray (background vocals).
     
  16. lpecucci

    lpecucci Member

    Location:
    Chicago
    The Scraps Companion is really great....starting with the "gangster Joey" cover!!!
    Can one still buy this?...or is it out of print?.....I bought almost everything that came out from the website,and I'd hate to think others couldnt grab this one!

    2 questions:
    Who originally recorded "Huggin' Bug"?.....
    and,is there a studio version of "Mare,Take Me Home"?..Its one of my fave earlier Q tunes....judging from the recordings I have,they liked it too since they played it live a lot!
     
  17. John DeAngelis

    John DeAngelis Senior Member

    Location:
    New York, NY
    Some "Scraps" overdubs were done at Electric Lady Studios in NYC. That includes Al's slide solo on the title song and Terry's piano on "Howard Johnson's Got His Hojo Working" and also the piano solo on "Don't Knock At My Door", which incidentally is one of my all time favorite solos!
     
  18. bRETT

    bRETT Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    yes, by Al with the Wildweeds.
     
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  19. Fullbug

    Fullbug Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    NRBQ is one of America's best kept musical secrets. When I first "discovered" them a couple years ago, I couldn't believe they aren't household names.
     
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  20. David Powell

    David Powell Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Atlanta, Ga.
    I got to see NRBQ play some amazing gigs over the years here in Atlanta. One memorable one, at the old Richards club in 1974, featured the up & coming Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band as the opening act! I seem to recall, but my memory could be faulty, that both Steve Ferguson & Al Anderson were with the Q that night. (John DeAngelis: Can you verify whether or not that happened?)
     
  21. John DeAngelis

    John DeAngelis Senior Member

    Location:
    New York, NY
    You've got a good memory, David. In 1974, Steve Ferguson rejoined NRBQ for a short while--the only time NRBQ regularly had 2 guitarists and the last time the band was a quintet. The Al & Steve version of the Q recorded 3 released tracks: the 45 version of "Get That Gasoline" on Kama Sutra (also reissued on Red Rooster) and "Rumors" and "Sourpuss", both written by Steve and released as a 45 on the S-O-H label in Memphis run by Johnny Phillips, who I believe was Sam's cousin.
     
  22. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    Al Anderson's 1972 Vanguard solo album fulfilled his 5 year contract with Vanguard, and transitioned him from The Wildweeds to NRBQ -- the record features members from both bands.

    http://webspace.webring.com/people/hq/qfan98/albums.htm

    Al Anderson (self-titled)
    Vanguard 1972 (LP VSD 79324)

    Al Anderson (self-titled)
    Vanguard 1972 (LP Vsq 40018 Quadrophonic issue)


    Personnel: Al Anderson: guitar, vocals, electric piano; Tom Staley: drums, percussion; Al Lepak: bass; Jeff Potter: harp; Terry Adams: piano; Donn Adams: trombone.

    Track Listing: Be My Woman Tonight; We'll Make Love; Ain't No Woman Fine Lookin'; You're Just Laughin' Inside; I Don't Believe I'll Stay Here Anymore; Honky Tonkin'; Goin' Back To Indiana; Don't Hold The Line; I Just Want To Have You Back Again; I Haven't Got The Strength To Carry On.

    Status: LP OOP.



    Al Anderson (self-titled) Re-Release
    Vanguard Records 1998 (CD 79324-2)


    Personnel: Al Anderson: guitar, vocals, electric piano; Tom Staley: drums, percussion; Al Lepak: bass; Jeff Potter: harp; Terry Adams: piano; Donn Adams: trombone.

    Track Listing: Be My Woman Tonight; We'll Make Love; Ain't No Woman Fine Lookin'; You're Just Laughin' Inside; I Don't Believe I'll Stay Here Anymore; Honky Tonkin'; Goin' Back To Indiana; Don't Hold The Line; I Just Want To Have You Back Again; I Haven't Got The Strength To Carry On;

    Bonus track:
    C'mon If You're Comin' featuring: Al Anderson, guitar and vocals; Bob Lapalm, guitar; Jeff Potter, harp; Bob Dudek, drums; Al Lepak, bass.

    Status:
    CD in print.



    Single:
    We'll Make Love/I Just Want To Have You Back Again [Vanguard 35168]

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    Here's the Vanguard Wildweeds cover I didn't post earlier
    [​IMG]
     
  23. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    Question? Is there any known footage of the early NRBQ years with Gadler and Ferguson? What is the earliest known Q footage?

    Workshop is up next. We'll let this ride for the rest of the weekend to let everyone comment on Scraps.
     
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  24. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
    Love Scraps...How did I miss Sraps Comanion???:cheers:
     
  25. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    I don't think it was widely available, or for very long.
     

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